WINTER SQUASH PUREE WITH TAHINI

Winter Squash Puree With Tahini image

This popular appetizer from the Middle East is a sort of sweet-tasting hummus, in which winter squash substitutes for chickpeas. This recipe is an adaptation of one by the cookbook author Clifford A. Wright.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories side dish

Time 1h

Yield About 3 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 8

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Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds winter squash, like butternut
1/3 cup sesame tahini, stirred if the oil has separated out
2 large garlic cloves, halved, with green shoots removed
Salt to taste
2 to 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
Pomegranate seeds for garnish
extra virgin olive oil for garnish

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with olive oil. If using butternut squash, cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes, and lay cut-side down on the foil-covered baking sheet. If using a thick slice of squash, scrape off any membranes. Bake 45 minutes to one hour, or until very soft. A knife should cut through it without resistance, and the skin should be wrinkled. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then peel and transfer to a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the tahini, and puree until smooth and creamy.
Combine the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mortar and pestle, and mash to a paste. Add to the food processor along with the lemon juice and cumin, and blend together. Add salt to taste.
Mound the puree in a wide bowl or on a plate. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top, and garnish with pomegranate seeds. Serve with warm pita bread.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 169, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 491 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams